Lyon, Puznowski square off in Dolgeville mayor's race

Monday

DOLGEVILLE – Voters in the village of Dolgeville will have a chance to vote in this year’s mayoral race between incumbent Mayor Bruce Lyon and village Trustee Mary Puznowski next week.

The candidates were asked to supply the Times Telegram with biographical information and to answer four questions each. Responses were capped at 100 words.

Bruce Lyon

Lyon, 75, and his wife Annette, who died in 2008, were married in 1968 and had three sons and five grandchildren. Lyon has held various jobs throughout the region — including working for Remington Arms, Mohawk Airlines and Charles A. Gaetano Construction — and retired as a full-time rural letter carrier in Dolgeville in 2002 after 22 years.

Lyon, a lifelong resident of Dolgeville, was first elected mayor in 2003 and is now serving his fifth term. He is involved with the East Canada Valley Vision, the Dolgeville Violet Festival Committee and the Town of Manheim Zoning Board. He is a member of the Republican Party, but is running for the mayoral position on the independent party line Roaring Lion.

Why do you want to run for re-election?

I’ve been doing it for 15 years. I love the village of Dolgeville. There are a few things I’ve started and want to see them continued on through. I want to do whatever I can for the village of Dolgeville. I enjoy what I’m doing. I want to continue [as a] good representative around the village, the valley and the state. I like the fact that I have people in the state, when there’s a problem, I get through to them. If they don’t have the answer, they get back to me. It’s something you earn after being mayor awhile.

What are the biggest issues facing the village of Dolgeville?

The water and sewer lines, which we have worked on. There is more to be done on them …. It’s something we got to continue to work on get them straightened out. There is also the issue of taxes [which is] all over the state. There’s not much we can do about that … If people in the village want things, we have to figure out a way to pay for them … If you don’t have money to do it, you can’t do it.

What are your goals if you should be re-elected mayor?

Route 167 [Main Street] and Route 29 [Helmer Avenue]. I’ve been working with the state to get this issue taken care of, so we don’t have the potholes every year … We need to make sure that the water and sewer lines underneath the road are in good shape. We don’t want the state to repave it and have the water or sewer line break. We want to make sure it’s ready for repaving. [Also], continue on keeping Dolgeville in good shape and to keep our tax rate as low as we can.

What do you feel is one of your biggest accomplishments as mayor?

We did Main Street, sidewalks and brick pavers … two or three years ago … through a grant. [We did] another in front of village hall, with brick pavers and sidewalks. [We put in] new curbing where it was needed. We’re working on the wastewater treatment plant. That will be completed in the next month or so. We put a façade on for businesses, including Napa and Arthur’s … along on Main Street. We’ve kept taxes as low as we possibly can. We don’t go over the tax cap. We don’t go over the two percent.

Mary Puznowski

Puznowski, 60, and her husband Paul have two children and four grandchildren. She is currently employed as the music director, organist and choir director at Holy Family Parish in Little Falls, a position she’s had for the past 20 years. She also works part-time as organist and cantor at Holy Trinity Church in Johnstown.

Puznowski has lived in Dolgeville for 25 years, after moving to the area for her business, A Painter’s Garden. She is running for mayor on the Republican line after receiving the endorsement from the village Republican Committee and the independent party line Dolgeville First. She has served as village trustee the past six years and is currently in her second term.

Why do you want to run for mayor?

I have a special love for this community. It has been a wonderful place to raise a family and conduct my business. It is peaceful, picturesque and friendly. I have always been involved in community service. Since I was elected trustee in 2012, I have learned every aspect of how a village works, and I understand the challenges we face. As a steward of the taxpayers’ money, I have been diligent in making the best fiscal decisions possible. There are issues in the village that need to be addressed to carry us soundly into the future.

What are the biggest issues facing the village of Dolgeville?

I think we can all agree on many of the issues that face us. Most are not exclusive to Dolgeville, but are pervasive throughout upstate New York. Residents have voiced their concerns to me. Here is the top of my list: the condition of streets and infrastructure, especially, but not exclusive to Main Street; condemned, empty and/or underutilized buildings on Main Street; winter snow removal of sidewalks; dwindling tax base; code enforcement issues; lack of flood map update since Beaver Brook Dam was built; aging equipment in our DPW fleet; lack of a handicap accessible community center for all ages.

What are your goals if you should be elected?

Analyze our expenditures for most judicious use of the taxpayers’ money. Meet and share ideas with neighboring municipal leaders who are experiencing growth. Partner with the Greater Mohawk Valley Land Bank to address blighted properties. Work with codes officer to make sure our codes are strongly enforced for property owners’ protection and the economic strength of our community. Work with department supervisors to address the sorely needed pavement, infrastructure and sidewalk maintenance issues. Open a dialogue with nearby townships to explore sharing of manpower, equipment purchases and professional services. Work to repair broken and non-functioning street lamps.

What are your past accomplishments that have provided you with the experience for mayor?

I have been successful in organizing events and working with community members through the years. Co-chairperson of the original Violet Festival committee, a festival that has attracted thousands of visitors for nearly 20 years. Exemplified leadership qualities while operating my business by managing staff and financials. I was on the steering committee of Dolgeville Area Business Association, and understand the power of promoting the area. Currently, I volunteer with Dolgeville FAFA, the downtown playground area, and beautification committee, taking care of park plantings. If elected, I will continue to support our local volunteer groups.

Besides the mayoral election, there will be two trustee seats that voters can decide on. William Reynolds, incumbent, and Amber Kraszewski, have filed petitions for the trustee seats.

All three seats are for four-year terms.

The village election will be held from 12 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, March 20, at the Dolgeville Fire Station on North Helmer Avenue.

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